Thak of the Black Sands
Thak's Sheet Fluff Appearance Thak is tall and slim, for a halfling. His skin is weathered and perpetually tanned, his brown hair is kept back in braids typical of the Talentan people. The one item he always wears would be his hand woven hunting mask. Made of cloth, and like a tube with the top and bottom open it usually rests loosely pulled down around his neck. When he needs to cast a spell however he will pull it up over his nose, revealing the embroidered pattern of a claws. His other notable feature would be the lesser mark of healing on his left shoulder blade. He usually keeps it covered and doesn't talk about it. When he uses it though, regardless of what he's wearing the pattern seems to shimmer through the fabric. Personality Thak likes to present an easy going demeanor. Usually with a constant stream of thought banter that gives the impression he doesn't think before he speaks. He pays attention more than he lets on, but enjoys playing a fool. Traits * Caretaker: Looks after others before himself. This goes beyond physical needs. He tries to keep people upbeat and optimistic. Usually this is observational quips. * Superstitious: Takes his spiritualism very seriously, and believes (incorrectly) he cannot cast spells without his hunting mask. Ideals * Honor: "If I dishonor myself, I dishonor my the Black Sands and the guardian spirits." Bonds * Absolution: I cannot return home until I have cleansed the innocent blood from my hands I spilled in the Last War. Strengths * Wilderness survival specialist. * Can turn into a dinosaur. Flaw * Self sabotaging: Is entirely way too hard on himself and will blame himself for misfortune of himself or others. Takes on the blame when it isn't his to begin with. Backstory Thak was born to the clan of the Black Sands. A tribe whose range skirts and extends deeper into the Blade Desert than most Talentans dare go. The land is unforgiving, so the Black Sands feel they must be generous to make up for it. They are a people who believe strongly in giving help freely if able, and have strong customs of hospitality. Thak was considered a twice blessed child. One whom could hear and commune with the spirits, and one whom the old blood relation to the Jorasco manifested, though it had not in his line for three generations. He was a warrior in the Last War, when the clans rallied to push foreign battles off their hunting grounds, Thak and his fellow warriors of the Black Sands were there. He was a capable fighter and combat medic. In 992 a Cyran noble approached the clans and traded for safe passage through the plains and into the desert so he could attack Valenar. The Cyran also bargained for Talentan guides and outriders. Thak and some of his clan answered the call. The Nobleman expected the peasants who'd been living under Valenar occupation to greet him as a liberator. When they didn't he ended up putting them to the sword and razing entire villages. Members of his clan took part in the bloodshed, and Thak did nothing to stop it. Even though he didn't kill any civilians, the innocent blood shed on that campaign weighed heavily on him. The nobleman's campaign was reckless however, and when it was clear to the Talentans that the nobleman was going to be crushed by the Valenar they abandoned him and his forces to their fate and fled back to the plains. However Thak's conscience could not rest easy, and instead of going back to the Black Sands he went instead to Gatherhold to try to clear his head. He would spend the next several years there until the Day of Mourning. After that tragic event Thak was one of the those who volunteered to venture into the mists and see if they could find any survivors. For the next few years his druid skills and goodberries explored and documented the hellscape that was Cyre, until the Last War was officially over. Once peace was declared Thak and his faithful mount Gigi boarded a lightning rail and left the Talentan Plains behind. He told himself he wanted to see the wider world before the war started back up, but he knows himself well enough to know that's a lie. He still felt guilty about the civilians in Valenar, and couldn't face his family yet. He ran out of coin in Fairhaven. He made contact with House Jorasco, and revealed his status as a foundling. They enthusiastically invited him into the house, and he strongly considered it. However another opportunity presented itself. Trading war stories at a Gold Dragon Inn he happened across an explorer with the Wayfinders, impressed with his time in the Mournland the old man extended an invitation to the Foundation. Thak took the opportunity, another excuse to keep moving, to ignore the guilt that weighs him down. The Last War Joined the Talentan warbands and worked as a scout for hire for forces that needed to move across the plains and would respect the indigenous clans and pay to cross unmolested. Notably took part in a doomed Cyran offensive into Valenar. Invitation Vikan Buristal met Thak in the summer after the Treaty of Thronehold was signed. Sharing stories of adventure Thak told about his Mournland explorations, and the secret knowledge that Goodberry still worked in the Mournland. Vikan realized the importance of find, and invited the druid into the Wayfinders. Experience Thak is a wilderness survival expert, having grown up in the Blade Desert. His ability to keep people alive regardless of terrain is prized. In addition, after the Day of Mourning he was among the first to breach the mists and discover not only that most healing magic does not work in the Mournland, but the primal spell Goodberry actually does. Motivation Thak is a plains nomad at heart and has no interest in settling down. He always wanted to see the lands beyond the horizon, but the war kinda limited his ability to do so. After the war ended he took the first train out of Gatherhold to see the world. It is that desire to keep moving that keeps him exploring. Future Goals Thak doesn't feel great about some things he was involved with during the Last War, he is trying to make up for past mistakes. He feels a sense of pride and purpose with the Wayfinders. Eventually he'll go back to the Talenta Plains, back to the Clan of the Black Sands, with his head held high. Proud of what he has been able to accomplish, or so he hopes. Secrets Rathan, Dovi, Tasha and Thak grew up together. Learned to hunt together. Learned to fight together. Went to war together. They were as tight a group of comrades you could ever find. Then Dovi died. Her head was taken off by a Karrnathi blade. The survivors didn't take it well. Rathan was eaten by rage and hatred, Tastha disassociated and shut down, Thak became reckless and self destructive. They were all in rough shape with they joined with the Cyran vanguard in 992 YK. When they were ordered to chase down fleeing civilians Rathan did it with wild abandon, Tastha did it with cold detatchment. Thak didn't, but at the same time, he didn't stop his friends from doing so. In the aftermath Thak and Rathan came to blows over what happened. Thak called Rathan a murderer, and Rathan called Thak a useless coward. When the Talentans returned to the plains... Rathan and Tasha returned to their clan, Thak didn't. They're what he can't face, they're why he hasn't gone home. He is afraid of the inevitable confrontation. Enemies (optional) Completed Missions Escape from Riedra In an adventure that took him to the other side of the planet, Thak made friends, lied to a foreign nation about conspiring to kill one of those friends, helped a Chosen escape the bonds of the Quori, was mind controlled to try to kill his friend. He only blasted her with a orbital death beam (read Moonbeam) once though before being freed from mind control, and she wont let him forget it. On the sea voyage home Thak shared his history to Aida as a show of trust, letting her in on his secrets blow. Going Rogue Thak was involved in an investigation into why three members of the Wayfinder Foundation had suddenly started robbing nobles around Sharn. The investigation revealed that the three had been murdered and replaced by changeling criminals belonging to The Tyrants. The souls of the three missing Wayfinders were trapped in coins by a priest of The Keeper. The party was able to stop the plot of the false Wayfinders. However returning their souls to their dead bodies was beyond the power of anyone at The Foundation. House Jorasco had been trying to pressure Thak into joining them for some time, and the price the House asked to resurrect the fallen Wayfinders was that Thak formally joined the house. Accepting his place as a dragonmarked heir. He grudgingly agreed. Escape from Riedra After being haunted by terrible dreams and visions for weeks. Thak and the other Wayfinders discovered that Aktavi had discovered Shiaali's location and was trying to worm its way into her mind again. Nearly succeeded but the party was able to bring her back from the brink. The party searched for a means to block the quori and followed rumors of a city of humans blessed by The Shadow on the islands northeast of Sarlona who have fought off the influence of the inspired for centuries, and of their mysterious queen Kel Pyruun. The party took an airship to the other side of the world and sought to find these mysterious people. Along the way the party succumbed to a field of memory loss that cost some party members more than others. Aida, Thak's best friend forgot everything about him, which hurt the halfling deeply. Soldiering through a series of shrines to the Dark Six during the trial of the Mockery Gigi, Thak's loyal mount, was killed by a fireball from a duplicate of Ketaal. Which caused Thak to freak out and conjure the clawfoot's soul back to the battlefield. Not for long though, as his former best friend stabbed him in the back, hoping that a betrayal of such magnitude would stop the trial. It did not, though it did destroy Thak's duplicate. Thak survived the battle, and was heartbroken until the Wayfinder Ekt, cleric of the Traveler returned Gigi to life. Thak forgave Aida for stabbing him, as he understood why she did it. The adventure continued into the throneroom where Thak, having retained most of his memories besides the way through the labyrinth to get there negotiated with the dark queen and got the information they sought to save Shiaali. More shenanigans were had on the way back to the boat, but those were the high points for Thak. On the Horizon Thak returned to the Talenta Plains to go on a rescue mission to find a team of Wayfinders from Aundair. They encountered a lost oasis where hags and a rakshasa were enthralling people and sacrificing them to a demon Overlord. One of the people trapped at the oasis was a childhood friend and former partner of Thak's Tash. The second team managed to break the spell and save half the original team and Thak's ex. There was a brief side trip to Kythri chasing after the rakshasa, but in the end they were able to save everyone who was left and seemingly stop the sacrifices. But turns out in the twist ending they stopped nothing. Oh well, saved some folks. In the aftermath Thak stayed in Gatherhold for a time reconnecting with The Black Sands and mending an old friendship. He returned the the Wayfinders but no longer feels that he is running away from his past. Trollmoot A trauma free s''troll'' through the swamp. Thak did butt heads with the Aundarians and the Brel in the party over "civilized" people coming in and trying to tell other people how to live. Other than that he fought an acid shark, healed a sick old woman so she could be murdered by her daughter, and was almost eaten by a spider lady. Crunch XP & Gold Log This transaction list must include all finished expeditions and the gold & XP earned for each, as well as all expenditures (what you bought and for how much). Inventory * Talentan Hunting Mask (Druidic Focus) * Explorer's Pack * Leather Armor * Wooden shield * Traveler's Clothes * Necklace with dinosaur teeth. * Belt pouch. * Hunting Trap * Veterinary Collar * Mask of the Beast Character Sheet Here More Mechanical Bits Racial Traits Halfling Racial (PHB 28) * Brave: Advantage on Saving Throws versus the Frightened effect. * Lucky: When I roll a 1 on a d20 for attack, ability check, or saving throw I may reroll the d20 and must use the new result. * Halfling Nimbleness: I may move through the space occupied by any creature a size category larger than me. Mark of Healing Subrace (WGtE 99) 9/5/2018 latest version as of the writing of this character sheet * Medical Intuition: When you roll a Wisdom (Medicine) check you can add 1d4 intuition die to the result. * Healing Touch: Once per short of long rest may spend one of my own HD to heal myself or another touched creature. Roll my HD+Wisdom mod, target heals that many HP. * Jorasco's Blessing: Learn the Spare the Dying cantrip. Class Features Druid (PHB 65-66) * Druidic: Learn the language that is never used. * Spellcasting Including ritual casting. * Wild Shape: 2/rest. CR limit 1/2. No flying. Full rules on PHB 66. Circle of the Shepherd (XGtE 23) * Speech of the Woods: Learn Sylvan and gain the ability to talk to animals. Much more useful than Druidic. * Spirit Totem 1/rest. 1 minute duration. Manifest a totem spirit within 60 feet. Totem spirit has a 30 ft aura that effects creatures I choose within the aura. ** Hammertail Spirit: (Bear Spirit) The hammertail grants you and your allies its might an endurance. Each creature of your choice in the aura when the spirit appears gains temporary hit points equal to 5 + your druid level. In addition your allies gain advantage on strength checks and strength saving throws while in the aura. ** Glidewing Spirit: (Hawk Spirit) The glidewing is a consummate hunter, aiding you and your allies with its keen sight. When a creature makes an attack roll against a target in the spirit's aura, you can use your reaction to grant advantage on that attack roll. in addition, you and your allies have advantage on wisdom (perception) checks while in the aura. ** Tricorn Spirit: (Unicorn Spirit, because triceratops is two better) The tricornlends its protection to those nearby. You and your allies gain advantage on all ability checks made to detect creatures in the spirit's aura. In addition if you cast a spell using a spell slot that restores hit points to any creature inside or outside the aura, each creature of your choice in the aura also regains hit points equal to your druid level. Background: Outlander (PHB 136) * Wanderer: You have excellent memory for maps and geography, and you can always recall general layout of terrain, settlements, and other features arround you. In addition you can find food and fresh water for yourself and up to five other people each day, provided that the land offers berries, small game, water, and so forth. Preferred Wildshapes * Clawfoot (WGtE 81): General combat, and speed. * Velociraptor (VGtM 140) If pack tactics are needed. Tiny. * Giant Poisonous Snake (MM 327) Poison, blindsense, swimming, stealth * Crocodile (MM 320) Swimming, or tanking. Category:Characters